Tokyo Ghoul:wara
by Jate'Kara
Summary: It has been ten years since the Dragon Incident, and tensions between humans and ghouls are still the same since before. The only difference is now ghouls are not hunted down to be killed. Although Japan has accepted ghouls, other countries have yet to do the same. As ghouls flock to Japan for safety, will life for humans change? Or will tensions between the two species resume?
1. The Mugging

_Humans are thought to be at the top of the food chain… But there are beings who hunt them as food…. They are called… Ghouls. After the Dragon Incident, humans and ghouls have grown into an uneasy peace in Japan. Although ghouls are now protected by the law instead of condemned, many humans have refused to accept my kind. And although Japan has accepted ghouls, they must stay in hiding in the rest of the world in order to keep from being hunted down and killed. Japan is now condemned by humans around the rest of the world, and many humans who disagree with the actions Japan has taken have left the country. And as ghouls flock to Japan in order to avoid prosecution, ghouls have become the majority in the population. It has been ten years since the Dragon Incident, and tensions between humans and ghouls are still the same since before. The only difference is now my kind is not hunted down to be killed. I am Hiroshi Kameko, also known as the ghoul called Cerberus, and I run a small homeless shelter for ghouls in the 20__th__ ward called Oasis._

* * *

Alley on the edge of the 19th Ward: Saturday, November 13; 11:13 PM

The elderly woman stared at the ghoul standing over the body of her attacker. The body was that of another ghoul, and the one left standing had saved her from her fate of becoming a late-night snack. Her savior's left arm lay on the ground a few meters away from her. "Y-You… You saved me…"

The ghoul turned to look at her, and to no surprise he was wearing a mask. The ghoul wore a black apron over his white overalls, though both were now torn up and stained with blood. The mask is what got her attention, however. It a full covering of his head and had the appearance was dog, but what was strange about it is that it had three dog heads, one facing forward and two more on either side that were much smaller and faced 45 degrees to the right or left of the main face. It was no mistaking the mask. This ghoul was Cerberus, and he had been all over the news for the past few months.

The ghoul raised his arm, but quickly fell to one knee. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I didn't realize your mugger was a ghoul when I came in to help. Can you give me my arm?"

The woman slowly walked to the arm laying on the ground and picked it up. Hesitantly, she walked closer to the ghoul to give it to him. "You're not going to eat me?"

The ghoul slowly reached for the arm with his remaining one and grabbed it. "Of course not. I'm going to eat my arm." As the woman gasped, he went on to explain. "It is dangerous for ghouls to eat other ghouls, but I need to eat something to regain my strength. My arm should give me enough strength to get back to my place."

"Why is it dangerous?" The woman was genuinely curious. After all, the ghoul who had saved her life 13 years earlier in the Owl raid was one she never got to thank. This one she could talk to.

"Eating ghoul meat comes with its benefits for other ghouls. It can strengthen a ghoul's kagune, allowing for the ghoul's kagune to take on properties of the ghoul being eaten. However, it can also lead to paranoia, psychosis and lost of control when using their kagune. The Dragon ten years ago was one such incident, although that something of that scale has never happened before," the ghoul reached for his mask to take it off, but hesitated. "If you do not want to watch, you can leave now."

The woman didn't move as the ghoul took off his mask and started eating. After he reached bone, he looked up at her with a surprised look. "Most humans can't stand seeing this. You have a strong stomach."

The woman looked at the bone for a second and them looked directly in the ghouls red eyes. The faint sound of sirens was heard in the distance, signaling that the police she called during the fight were on their way. "This is not the first time I have seen a ghoul. In fact, a ghoul saved me from a human long ago. The least I can do is stay on the crime seen and explain to police that it you are not at any fault."

The ghoul frowned and went back to eating his arm. There was a loud crunch as he bit off a piece of the bone. "Well, then thank you for that. I appreciate it."

The woman tried to ignore the sound of chewing and looked at her savior. He seemed completely normal, minus the fact that he was eating his own arm and had red eyes. She still couldn't get past the fact that he looked familiar. "Your Mr. Kameko, right? You run a homeless shelter?"

The ghoul paused, not even looking up at her. "For ghouls, yes. How did you know?"

"I've seen the protesters in front of the building every morning. You almost always come out to make them leave. I heard one of them mention your name," the woman said recalling the building a few blocks from her apartment. There used to be a coffee shop there, but it burned down a long time ago, so it was very noticeable when construction started there again.

Before the ghoul could respond, a police car pulled up in the alley. A large man in a blue trench coat came out of the car with a short woman with stiches all over her body. Each of them carried a briefcase, but the man looked extremely old to still be in the police force. "I am officer Shinohara, and this is my partner Juuzo. We came as soon as we heard of a rogue ghoul."

"Thank you, officer," the woman said walking closer, using her cane for support. "This ghoul saved me but thank you for coming so quickly."

The officer who identified himself as Shinohara frowned as he looked behind her. "Ma'am, there is no one else here."

The woman looked back behind her to see only the dead ghoul's body. There wasn't even a sign of the arm the ghoul was eating. "B-But… He was just here. He saved my life."

* * *

Oasis, 20th Ward: Sunday, November 14; 2:36 AM

Hiroshi limped his way the homeless shelter's front door, leaning against it to put enough strength in to open it. As it opened, he fell inside on his elbow, door shutting behind him. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "That was too close."

If he was seen by those police officers, his identity would have been revealed and he would have been arrested. Although he only killed criminals, it was still illegal for ghouls to kill humans without being a member of the police force. But it was the only way to get enough food for the ghouls living in Oasis. Hopefully that woman wouldn't reveal his identity.

"Mr. Kameko? What happened to you?" A young girls voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned his head to see one of his residents, an orphaned 10-year-old girl named Airi Miho. "Your arm is missing."

Hiroshi forced a smile, despite the pain. "I'm okay, Airi. This will heal in time." He motioned to the fridge behind her. "Mind getting me something to eat? Look for the containers on the bottom, they are the oldest."

Airi turned around and opened the fridge, looking at the dates of the containers to make sure she got the oldest. She picked one out and opened it to take a sniff. Sealing it again and she turned around and started walking closer to Hiroshi. "Why do you always eat the old food?"

Hiroshi gave a kind smile as he took the container and opened it to eat. "The food we have expires in time. After a while it will become rotten and make us sick, so I eat the old food to make sure none of it goes bad." He started eating, feeling his strength grow back with every bite. "Did I wake you up?"

Airi just smiled at her friend. "No, I was coming down to use the bathroom when you stumbled in. Who attacked you?"

Hiroshi sealed the empty container shut and set it down next to him. "No one attacked me. I attacked a ghoul mugging some woman not realizing he was a ghoul. He put up a fight before I was able to…"

"You killed him, didn't you?" Airi asked the question with a disapproving look on her face.

"It was him or me, Airi. I had no choice," Hiroshi said with a sigh.

"I know, I know… It's just we don't have to kill anymore. Not to mention it's wrong," Airi said. Hiroshi knew fully well that she valued all life, human and ghoul. She thought that because she was a ghoul, she was just made to kill others. Several times she had tried to kill herself because of what she was. Hiroshi found her when she was five, about to jump off a building.

"It being wrong is not going to stop people from doing it. If you were born earlier, you would understand." Hiroshi struggled to stand up, picking up the empty container and taking it to the kitchen. "Go use the bathroom. Didn't you say that's why you're down here?"

Airi nodded, giving Hiroshi a weak smile and took the hallway that lead to the bathrooms as Hiroshi turned on the sink to wash up the container. Hiroshi watched her until she was through the door to the women's bathroom and then turned on the sink to clean the container.

* * *

**Some new characters, and the return of three old timers! Did you recognize that lady from before? What ghoul was it that she mentioned having saved her? And do you think she will keep quiet on who Cerberus' true identity is? I felt like she may have come to like ghouls after she was saved by one, so I thought why not have her return! Let me know your thoughts, suggestions and comments and stay tuned for more Tokyo Ghoul:wara!**

* * *

**Fun fact: Wara is Maltese for after. This is keeping in common with Tokyo Ghoul:re, with re meaning king in Maltese.**


	2. Protest

Oasis, 20th Ward: Sunday, November 14; 7:37 AM

"Get the hell out of our city!"

"Freaks!"

"Go back to the sewers where you belong!"

Hiroshi stood behind the kitchen counter, cleaning dishes that came to him while everyone ate. He tried not to pay attention to the shouting outside, though his residents were certainly being bothered by it.

"Mr. Kameko? They are back at it again." One of his residents, a young boy named Haru, was looking outside the only window left that wasn't cracked. As if on cue, a rock hit the window he was looking out of and made a huge crack in the glass. Just another window that needed to be replaced.

Hiroshi sighed and turned of the sink, taking off his glove he used when he washed dishes. "I'll deal with it. These people never learn."

Hiroshi walked away, leaving the dishes he was washing in the sink to walk outside. He opened the door to look walk out, noting that there was a red X painted on it again. A rock hit his shoulder as his eyes adjusted to the light outside. Keeping his composure, he said the same thing he said every morning. "Can I help you?"

One of the protesters, one holding a sign that said 'Pure Humans: Pure City', addressed him. "Damn right you can help us, filth. You can go back underground and leave the surface for us. Or, better yet, just hang yourselves and be done with it."

Hiroshi didn't let the insult phase him. He knew stuff like this would happen the moment he decided to build this shelter. "Sir, please answer honestly. Why do you think ghouls cannot live among humans?"

The protester seemed visibly stunned by the question. "What do you think? You kill and eat people! Just look at your missing arm! Isn't that enough proof that you were fighting for a meal?"

Hiroshi nodded, looking at the stump of his left arm that had yet to grow back. He could certainly see this person's point of view, though it was still wrong. "So, tell me, do you not know of the artificial food that the Ghoul Relief Effort gives out? Considering that, your point is null and void. Try again."

The protester opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Hiroshi looked at the ground, closing his eyes and savoring his victory. "I see. When you have a more suitable reason, please come back and tell it to me. Until then, get off my property before I call the police. Thank you, and good day."

Hiroshi started to turn around but was disappointed to see the man raising his arm to swing a punch. Seems like this man would not be convinced with words alone.

Before he could land his punch, his arm was stopped by the navy blue metallic kagune that had suddenly wrapped around his arm. Hiroshi turned to face the man, his eyes blood red. He studied the mans face, noting the absolute fear in his eyes as he realized his mistake. Then he looked behind him and was satisfied with the fact the other protesters were still there and didn't run. He hated repeating himself and chances are they would be back tomorrow if they didn't hear what he said next.

"Alright. Listen carefully, because I hate repeating myself," Hiroshi said as he tightened his kagune's grip on the man's arm. "One: Throwing rocks and painting my door with a red X is considered destruction of personal property, so feel lucky I haven't called the police yet.

"Two: Calling people filth and trying to swing a punch at someone is a bad idea, because that would also be a crime. It is known as assault. Three: Calling _a_ _ghoul_ filth and trying to swing a punch at them just means you have a death wish."

Hiroshi tightened his grip on the man's arm further, then suddenly adjusted his kagune to break it. The man screamed as the kagune released him and retracted back into Hiroshi's body, right below his shoulder blade. He grabbed the man's chin and pulled his face closer to make him look directly in his red eyes. "Now, filth, don't let me see any of you on my property again, or I might decide you look tastier than you smell."

With his little show finished, Hiroshi turned around to walk back inside, leaving the protesters to scatter. He ignored the accusations of being a monster as he shut the door and clicked the lock. They were right about one thing. He was a monster. That is why he made the homeless shelter: to prevent his residents from becoming him.

As he walked inside the main room, he wasn't surprised to see everyone inside staring at him. "Show's over, folks. Let's enjoy the rest of our meal."

* * *

20th Ward Police Station: Sunday, November 14; 12:23 PM

Kiyoshi wasn't pleased with the way his day was going so far. First that filthy ghoul who broke his arm, and now this police officer was laughing in his face. _These new laws protecting ghouls are inhumane. It goes against everything humans represent._

The police officer wiped tears out of his eyes, a big grin on his face. "You're telling me you threw rocks at a ghoul homeless shelter, insulted and tried to attack the owner and now you want to press charges of assault now that the owner broke your arm in return?" The police officer didn't seem to be taking Kiyoshi seriously, which was the biggest problem. "I'm sorry, Mr. Tanaka, but you got everything you deserved. Plus, technically, he had the right to do what he did since you were on his property and actively damaging it. It's called the Castle Law and was implemented in Japan not long ago in order for ghouls to defend their property from bigots like you. I agree with the ghoul on this one."

"How can you support those filthy monsters! They belong mounted on someone's wall, not living as neighbors!" Kiyoshi was full of rage. How could another human say this?

"Sir, I would be careful with that attitude of yours. Keep it up and you might have your left arm broken too," the police officer leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of his coffee. "Now, the only reason I haven't arrested you is it seems like that ghoul did a pretty good job of giving you a form of punishment for your actions."

"You can't seriously think that ghouls care about us humans! We are just a meal to them!"

The police officer took another sip of his coffee before responding. "Not true. Last night a woman was saved from a mugging by a ghoul. According to her, the ghoul lost his left arm in the fight and was severely injured. He left before police arrived on the scene, so we have no way of confirming her story, though."

Kiyoshi recalled that the owner of the shelter had a missing arm, but he couldn't remember if it was his left. "But in order for a ghoul to sustain that much damage in a fight, he would have had to have been fighting another ghoul, would he not?"

"Mr. Tanaka, you are missing the point that a ghoul killed another ghoul for the life of a human. That should be enough proof to you that some ghouls do care about people," the police officer leaned forward in his chair and set his coffee down. "Now I suggest you leave so I can tend to actual crimes. Either that or I can arrest you right here."

"You're human! Why do you support ghouls?" Kiyoshi couldn't believe what he was hearing. This officer was trying to arrest him when he was simply doing what was required of him as a human being.

"Sir, if I was to answer honestly into why I support ghouls, I would say my wife is one, as well as our adopted son," the officer said with a completely straight face. "Now please leave, you are forming a line."

Realizing he wasn't going to get any help on the matter, Kiyoshi Tanaka readjusted his cast on his arm and turned around from the front desk to let the next person talk to the officer. As he walked away, a thought came to him that brought a smile on his face. _If the law won't do its job, it looks like I will have to take matters into my own hands._

* * *

Oasis, 20th Ward: Sunday, November 14; 2:56 PM

_This was the last thing I wanted to be doing today._ Hiroshi sighed and dipped the paint roller in the tray and started working on the first coat of paint on his door. He had to do this about once a month, but that didn't make it fun. To make it worse, the department store was out of the original color of paint, so he had to paint the whole thing a new color, not just the red 'X' that was painted on it this morning. Haru's mom had said she would be happy to do it instead, but this was something he needed to do as the owner.

"You work yourself to hard Mr. Kameko," a young girls voice said from behind him. Hiroshi glanced back to see Airi. She was still wearing the same pajamas from last night and strands of her brown hair was sticking in every direction. "You should be resting right now. That arm isn't going to heal if you just spend all your energy into working."

She had a point, Hiroshi had to admit. Since he founded this shelter, he had tried to do anything and everything. He barely got sleep as it was. He turned back to the door sitting against the wall. "I need to get this done tonight so we have a door again."

"Ms. Abe said she would do it, but you said no. You don't need to be doing it."

Hiroshi set the paint roller down and looked at Airi. "Okay, Airi. Let's make a deal. If you help me get some food tomorrow after school, I will let Haru's mom do this."

Airi frowned at the suggestion. "It doesn't require killing, does it?"

Hiroshi laughed. "No, honey. It requires going to the store. We just got our grant from the United Front to buy food. But we may be out late and miss dinner."

Airi went quiet for a moment, mulling in thought. She finally extended her hand to shake Hiroshi's. "If it means you not doing everything alone, I will help you with anything you want besides hunting."

Hiroshi smiled and shook to girl's hand. "Alright. I will hold you to that promise. Now get Ms. Ade out here and say I took her up on her offer for help."

* * *

**Boy, the world of Tokyo has changed a lot, hasn't it? I will say that the Castle Law does not apply in Japan, but I see no reason why it wouldn't anymore now that people like Kiyoshi are around doing stuff like that to ghouls just because of what they are. Speaking of, what did you think of Kiyoshi? What nefarious acts do you think he is planning to do? I will say that you have not seen the last of him yet. Stay tuned for Chapter 3: Hunting and Gathering!**

* * *

**Fun Fact Time! The Japanese name 'Kiyoshi' means 'He who is pure'. Hence, the sign he was holding that said, "Pure Humans: Pure City." His last name doesn't have any meaning behind it, however, other than it happened to pop up on a random name generator.**


End file.
